Similarities & differences driving the actions behind the scenes for Robron & Vadam
*Alternatively, why I believe Adam’s actions should not be viewed necessarily as hypocritical when applied to Robert and Pete’s situations.
Disclaimer: This is one viewer’s interpretation and personal opinion of Adam’s actions & reactions with his involvement in the three separate infidelity storylines he is the common factor in. As I believe Adam is a complex character, his actions and behaviour would be motivated from his past experiences, current emotional state, and the present situation he would be in.
This post may be updated periodically for additional opinions etc. and parts were inspired and developed with Twitter user @Britluvsbrucas idea there is a type of symbolism within the similarities of Vadam & Robrons situations.
In 2015, Adam thinking he and Victoria were over slept with Vanessa. They were both fooled into thinking he was the father of her unborn son by true biological grandfather. Victoria and Adam split and reconciled when she learned of his infidelity going on to support Adam as the father. Later, it was revealed he was not the father, but Vanessa’s actual boyfriend.
In 2017, Adam ends his relationship with Victoria because he can’t give her what she wants (baby) because of his infertility. Somewhere along the line he makes a drunken attempt at kissing Victoria. As Victoria & Adam are attempting to work things out, the “infidelity” is outed because of a revenge plot (Emma vs. Moira).
In both situations, his actions with Vanessa were not voluntarily given to Victoria.
First, look at Adam’s behaviour and how he has handled Aaron & Robert’s relationship problems. Initially, Adam was very supportive of Robert telling Aaron to think before he does anything too drastic/quickly. He reminds Aaron that Robert is in the same situation he himself was in with Vanessa/Victoria in 2015 and is currently struggling with the same duo and infidelity issues in 2017.
Once Adam learns of Aaron’s self-harming again, his attitude in the backroom changes. He’s concerned for his friend and angry with Robert. He says you knew and you didn’t say anything. He then takes Aaron to the hospital instead of allowing Robert to take him home telling Robert if he wants to help, stay away from him. As Aaron and Adam return from the hospital, he calmly tells Robert and Victoria about Aaron’s condition and his antibiotics. Victoria and Adam then leave Aaron and Robert alone in the flat.
Even the next day when Aaron is leaving, Adam’s attitude toward Robert is not as aggressive or over the top protector mode as it is when Aaron returns from Dublin. Why the change in behaviour?
The two times on screen Robert and Adam interact after Aaron leaves for Dublin each begin with Robert having either a flippant or smart aleck comment at Adam’s expense. Not helping the situation, Adam sees Robert with Rebecca both times and tells him to leave the flat because Aaron is returning.
It’s later in the pub, when Robert again has a flippant/smart aleck comment that ruffles Adam’s feathers again. Adam is already on edge because he correctly thinks Robert is going to try and win back Aaron. This escalates with Robert bringing up Adam’s own faults with his relationship with Robert’s sister. In Adam’s anger, he becomes “physical” with Robert telling him he won’t let him mess with Aaron’s head. Before it can go further, Aaron interrupts.
The very few scenes following with Adam playing guard dog for Aaron against Robert though while not physical still feel “over the top” with Adam often jumping in before Aaron even has a chance to speak for himself.
Although it has not been directly mentioned, Adam’s behaviour and attitude regarding Robert (and later Pete) would be influenced by other important factors.
1. Adam thought he was the father to Vanessa’s child from a one night stand after he thought Victoria had ended their engagement/relationship in 2015. Victoria was eventually supportive of Adam being there for his unborn son.
a. Robert believes he is the father to Rebecca child after a one night after he thought Aaron and his relationship was over. Aaron has offered to be supportive of Robert if he wants to be involved with the baby. Adam sticks up for Robert telling Aaron he made a mistake and he knows what that is like and what can happen afterwards.
b. The similarities between both situations now puts Adam in Robert’s shoes and alternatively, put Aaron in Victoria’s shoes when he reflects on his own situation.
2. Adam ended his relationship with Victoria because he was diagnosed with a condition making him infertile (21-April-2017). He said he wouldn’t be able to raise another man’s kid and she should find another man who can give her what she wants {Give her something he can’t}.
a. Just before Aaron ends his relationship with Robert, he confides in Adam that they are leaving and Robert is giving up his child.
b. Robert giving up his child for his husband is opposite of Adam’s situation who wants to be able to give his wife a child. His inability to father a child is a factor in his failed relationship, unlike Robert’s ability which has ruined his relationship with Adam’s best mate Aaron.
c. Adam would see the similarities with Aaron as he puts himself into his shoes of not being able to give his partner a child and again the alternative is true. Aaron would see himself in Adam’s situation. A
d. Adam had made out like he was less of a man when he learned of his condition. Robert is able to father a child potentially creating additional doubts and inferiorities within himself.
3. Adam makes a drunk pass and attempted kiss with Vanessa while he was believing his relationship with Victoria was over for a 2nd time. Later, the situation is outed after Victoria/Adam had started to reconcile. It is now her turn to end it with Adam for his 2nd infidelity with someone he had history with.
a. After Robert threw Adam out of the Mill, he makes a drunken pass and sleeps with Rebecca while thinking his relationship with Aaron is over and wanting to hurt Aaron.
b. This is Robert’s first time cheating on Aaron with someone he had history with and resulted in a pregnancy very similar to Adam’s first time with Vanessa in 2015.
c. These similarities again would bring Adam and Aaron to the conclusion that Robert would cheat again with Rebecca…Adam, Victoria’s, and Vanessa’s history repeating itself with Aaron, Robert, and Rebecca.
These actions and their consequences become symbols for them as they navigate their relationships with each other and their struggles. They each would see themselves in one or more of the other side given the similarities/parallels in their situations with one exception.
Adam would see himself in both Robert and Aaron.
Aaron would see himself in Victoria.
Victoria saw herself in Aaron because he was her during Adam’s first infidelity with Vanessa. Even though Aaron ended it with Robert, the similarities were there but she overlooked them because of her own desire to have a child.
Robert is blinded to the fact that he is Adam of the past and the present. He admitted his mistake to Aaron unlike Adam either time and also being forgiven initially confirming his sense of superiority to Adam. Even now that he and Aaron are separated, the reasons Aaron gave are different from Vic & Adam’s separation that he cannot accept the similarities.
Consciously accepting those similarities of his situation to that of Adam in 2015, he would be reminded of how he tried to intervene between Adam & Victoria. It additionally reminds him that he and Aaron were not together and were adversaries in that struggle. It would also shatter the image he has that he can mend his relationship with Aaron given that Vic and Adam have ended a second time. *Vic mentioned how she handled Adam in 2015 making him confident he was getting back with Aaron. Aaron not offering and continuing to say they’re over would discredit the similarity for Robert.
Adam and his situation are symbols for Robert of his biggest fears. He is a failure that cannot change and has lost the only person he has truly loved.
There are other factors that could be driving Adam’s actions with Robert whether consciously or subconsciously that do not contain similarities & differences specific details to Robert & Aaron’s situation. Items that are conjecture based on logic that a discussion would have been held with varying parties while off screen are marked with an asterisk * at the beginning.
Adam had asked Robert’s help to reunite him with his wife, Robert’s sister after crashing Robert/Aaron’s date night. Robert refused creating a situation where Aaron tells them both they are “rubbish at relationships.”
Adam was supporting Robert indirectly as he reminded Aaron he had been through the same situation and knows how it feels. He suggested Aaron not make any rash decisions because of what the two of them had been through (possible indirect reference to Gordon & Robert’s support)
When Aaron is due back, he sees Robert with the very person Robert had betrayed Aaron with creating an idea that Robert wasn’t done with the mother of his child and woman he had history with.
Robert’s taunting of Adam inside the pub just before Aaron returns is reminiscent of Robert’s comments identified in #1.
*At some point, Aaron should have confessed the details of Robert’s infidelity including roughly when it would have happened. Adam would then be able to deduce it was when Robert threw him out of the Mill.
*Expanding on #1 & #5 the situation could have Adam applying the “rubbish at relationships” to his own behavior.
Removing the concept any one action or event is motivating Adam, his attitude toward Aaron & Robert’s situation has evolved from the initial public reveal of Robert’s infidelity. He had been supportive of Robert in the beginning, angry with Robert just before Aaron returned, and then “overprotective” of Aaron concerning Robert later.
Adam’s actions with Robert could be viewed as hypocritical given he has also cheated and currently involved with his own relationship problems with Victoria. I do not view them as hypocritical, but as Adam attempting to overcompensate in protecting Aaron with the exception of the one “physical” altercation being motivated out of anger.
In my eyes, Adam would have feelings of failing Aaron because he walked away from Robert when he needed help the night of the one-night stand. Adam also had supported Robert because of the similarities to his own situation only to find out later that Aaron was self-harming because of Robert, Rebecca, and the unborn child situation. Based on his own history with Victoria and applying it to Aaron, he would see Aaron in Victoria’s shoes and not want his friend to be put in a position to be hurt again by Robert, a serial cheater like himself.
Adam also looked to Robert and Aaron for hope he could win back Victoria. Once Aaron had decided to end his relationship with Robert, his own hope was diminished in his prospects with Vic. He wouldn’t blame Aaron, but Robert because he like himself is “rubbish with relationships”. Adam doesn’t hate Robert, but would view him as a disappointment. His initial reaction the day after Robert and Aaron split demonstrates he is sympathetic to Robert’s pain and current situation.
Why would Adam then give Pete advice to not tell Leyla about his infidelity with Priya?
I don’t necessarily see his actions as hypocritical in this situation either. The viewers know the chances of hiding an affair will be a total failure, the best outcome from a soap character would be for it to stay hidden.
Adam is witnessing firsthand how an affair impacts both sides of the spectrum. He is currently experiences his own problems with his actions on infidelity and the opposite side while trying to support Aaron. After seeing the results of Robert’s confession and not only Aaron’s pain but understanding Robert’s also, he would not believe it as a positive or in Pete’s best interest to confess.
Recently, because of Victoria’s “overblown” accident we saw her “thaw” slightly while talking to Diane about her relationship with Adam. She still doesn’t believe she can forgive him, but she admits she still loves him. He continues to tell Adam, Robert and he cannot come back from their current situation, but Adam is watching as cracks develop for Aaron and how he sees Robert.
I do not know how it will play out, but to continue to have parity between Robron and Vadam, either Robert or Aaron will need to have an accident or get hurt.
I also think that because Adam is involved and related to all three infidelity storylines that the resolution for Vadam and Robron could very well be impacted by the Pete/Priya/Leyla situation that shares other similarities somewhat with theirs.
